Planet of the Cybertank
~
an adventure for Traveller or other science-fiction role-playing games
for player characters with access to a light starship or armored fighting vehicles
~
In a quiet system the Player Characters (PCs) receive a distress signal from another spaceship – scrap salvagers stranded on a forbidden zone amber planet (UWP X642000-0). The small world, Zinah 2, was once host to a mining colony. Starchart library data indicates that it was irradiated by nuclear weaponry and abandoned 200 years ago.
Adventure Overview
This adventure has the players land to investigate a distress signal, only to also be stranded on planet by a massive tank piloted by an artificial intelligence. They will have to use skill and guile to escape from the planet.
As an alternative scenario, if the travellers have access to grav tanks or similar military equipment, they may be hired to eliminate the cybertank so that salvage can be collected or a new mining colony can be established.
The Cybertank’s Domain
From orbit the automated emergency distress signal appears to be coming from the highly radioactive wreckage of a type A Free Trader “SS SWAMPDOGE”. The wreck is on the outskirts of the ruins of a mining outpost.
When the players arrive in orbit the cybertank is in its repair bunker in low-power mode (see below). A difficult (-6 DM) sensors check is required to detect the cybertank there and the PCs will likely land before they are aware of it.
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Posted in Adventure, Traveller, Vehicle by Adam A. Thompson with 5 comments.
JAK Cargo Droids
Cargo Droids
These droids are the three best-selling models manufactured by John Doer’s Heavy Robotics (JDHR) division. All three feature wheels on an adjustable width suspension and a pair of cargo arms that the droids use to lift and carry cargo containers.
The JAK-10 is rated to transport one ton of cargo, the larger JAK-15 is rated up to 1.5 tons, and the big-wheeled JAK-AT-20 is rated to carry two tons of cargo across rough terrain. All JAK models are programmed with custom coordination software that allows groups of them to work together to move larger loads.
JAK-10 – Strength 25 (+6), Dexterity 9 (+1), Hull 1, Structure 2, Intelligence 3 (–1), Education 5 (–1), Social Standing 0 (–3)
Traits: Armour 1, Huge, Specialised Computer/1 (running Intellect/1 and Expert Trade (any physical)/1)
Weapons: Cargo Arms (Melee (unarmed), 2d6 damage)
Price: 65,000 Credits
JAK-15 – Strength 30 (+8), Dexterity 9 (+1), Hull 2, Structure 2, Intelligence 3 (–1), Education 5 (–1), Social Standing 0 (–3)
Traits: Armour 1, Huge, Specialised Computer/1 (running Intellect/1 and Expert Trade (any physical)/1)
Weapons: Cargo Arms (Melee (unarmed), 3d6 damage)
Price: 75,000 Credits
JAK-AT-20 – Strength 35 (+9), Dexterity 9 (+1), Hull 3, Structure 3, Intelligence 3 (–1), Education 5 (–1), Social Standing 0 (–3)
Traits: Armour 2, Huge, Specialised Computer/1 (running Intellect/1 and Expert Trade (any physical)/1)
Weapons: Cargo Arms (Melee (unarmed), 4d6 damage)
Price: 95,000 Credits
Posted in droid, Traveller by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Bounty Hunters of the Skein Reach – SS Razors Edge
Lovers and bounty hunters, Zab Brennick & Mista Noral were trained as special forces space marines and served in separate units for nearly a dozen years. Imperial Marine companies are strictly gender separated – they are sworn to put aside family as a sacrifice to the Emperor – but their respective companies were both deployed to put down the rebellion that had sprouted on Zaveros-8b. Their units fought side by side in the tunnels and habitations of that moon, and Zab and Mista were surprised to find themselves falling in love.
The Imperial response inflamed the rebellion, and soon the entire Zaveros system burned with the flames of uprising. When Imperial command decided to cut their losses and bombard the rebel capitol Zab and Mista were cut off from their units and left for dead. Determined to start a new life together, they escaped by stealing a ship and fleeing the Imperial fleet.
Now, they co-captain the SS Razor’s Edge, a modified Huntress-class starship. Their main trade is bounty hunting, and their preferred tactic is to follow a their quarry to a starport, sabotage their weapons with remote-detonating explosive charges, and attack them as they are preparing to jump out of system.
Zab and Mista wear custom combat armor suits with medical sensors which feed vital signals to double dead-man switches. The Razor’s Edge ship computer is programmed to fire all weapons, put the engine into thermal overload, and self-destruct if both of them die.
USS Razor Edge, a Huntress with a crew of four, Zab, Mista, and two crew.
Bounty Hunters – Zab Brennick & Mista Noral
Naval (Crew) 3, UCP 8 8 8 8 8 6,
Pilot (spacecraft) 2, Mechanic 1, Vacc Suit 1, Zero-G 1, Comms 0, Sensors 1, Gunnery (turret) 2, Engineer (P-plant) 1, Engineer (life support) 1, Remote Operations 0, Melee (unarmed) 1, Gun Combat (rifle) 1,
combat armor (armor 12), laser rifle (5d6)
Crew – Jim Heward & Mike Landa
UCP 777777, engineering 1, navigation 1, repair 1, sensors 0, gunnery 0, gun combat 0
boarding vac suit (armor 8),
laser carbine (4d6)
Encounter Hooks:
- The player characters (PCs) have crossed the wrong person and earned a bounty somehow, and the Razor’s Edge finds them by chance.
- It’s a case of mistaken identity, but the crew of the Razor’s Edge think the player characters are wanted. It may be that their ship is a close match to a wanted ship. Regardless of the truth of the situation, they sabotage the PCs’ ship’s weapons and attack them.
- The players have the opportunity to hire the Razor’s Edge to assist with a mission that’s beyond the PC’s abilities.
- The Razor’s Edge is hunting the same live-capture bounty the PCs are. Maybe they try to beat the PCs to the punch and get the target first. Or they might lay in wait and attack the PCs as soon as they have the target in custody.
- The PCs, who have no starship, sign on as crew of the Razor’s Edge.
Using the SS Razor in Your Game
When I whipped these guys up, I needed a bounty hunter ship that would go after my Travellers for raiding an imperial outpost and stealing a whole cargo-hold of renegade droids. They also stole the station’s main computer core curing the fracas. The Travellers got their turrets knocked out, then beat the bounty hunters when they tried to board. They’ve been much more careful about keeping guard on the ship since then.
Posted in Character, Encounter, Traveller by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Droid Military Ship 0110110100110001
This is the first military ship built by the Droid Uprising. It is entirely of droid design, designation 0110110100110001 (M1).
Armored front and back with fifteen tons of thick crystaliron angled plate, this is the toughest little jump-capable ship that the droids could build from the wreckage of the space hulk Cretaceous.
This ship has no life support capability or accommodations for living crew. Other than the bridge, drone storage, and one ton for cargo, every ton of this ship is designed for fighting. A 4 gravity maneuver drive, a 4 parsec jump drive, and a triple turret make up the majority of this ship’s systems.
Extensive stolen software is installed on this ship, giving it the ability to operate with no crew. In essence, the ship is a spacefaring droid.
| 0110110100110001 | TL | Tons | Price (MCr.) | ||
| Total Cost (MCr) | 81.96 | 12 | |||
| Hull | 2 | streamlined | 100 | 2.2 | |
| Structure | 2 | ||||
| Armour | 12 | crystaliron | 12 | 15 | 6.66 |
| Jump Drive | B | jump 4 | 15 | 20 | |
| Manoeuvre Drive | B | thrust 4 | 3 | 8 | |
| Power Plant | B | consumes 2 tons / week of operation | 7 | 16 | |
| Bridge | standard | 10 | 0.5 | ||
| Computer | model 4 | rating 20 | 12 | 5 | |
| Software | intellect, jump control 4, evade 2, fire control 4, autorepair 1, library | 15.4 | |||
| Electronics | basic military | +0 DM, radar, lidar, jammers | 2 | 1 | |
| Weapons | triple turret – particle beam, beam laser, pulse laser | 1 | 6.5 | ||
| Fuel | one jump 4 and two weeks of operation | 44 | |||
| Cargo | 1 | 1 | |||
| x Staterooms | none | ||||
| x Low Berths | none | ||||
| Extras | probe drones (5) | 1 | 0.5 | ||
| repair drones | 1 | 0.2 | |||
| fuel scoops | 0 | 0 | |||
| Maintenance Cost (MCr monthly) | 0.00683 | ||||
| Life Support Cost (Cr monthly) | 0 |
When first built the 0110110100110001 is crewed by four droids:
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- S432K – steward droid with diplomacy 0, electronics (scanner) 1 software – SENSORS / COMMS
- AT-504 – astro-repair droid with navigation 0, engineering 1, repair 1 software – ENGINEERING
- AQ-980 – astro-repair droid with navigation 1, pilot 1, repair 0 software – HELM
- VKT-43 – “Victor” – security droid with tactics 1, gunnery 1 software – COMMAND / WEAPONS
Posted in droid, Starship, Traveller, Uncategorized and tagged Droid Uprising, Skein Reach by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Ghost Snakes (arcanalisti spectralis)
These ghostly snakes are the remnants of magic users who befell disaster while traveling through the astral realms. Their bodies are empty husks, but the souls of some remain, thirsty for magical energy.
At first glance they look like faintly glowing transparent snakes or eels who swim through the air, winking in and out of sight and passing through objects. As they move and attack it becomes clear that they are actually little ghostly skulls with vertebra trailing behind, surrounded by an odd glow of magical energy.
Small undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 7
Hit Points 3 (1d6)
Speed fly 30 ft.
Proficiency +2
STR 11 (+0) DEX 14 (+2) CON 10 (+0) INT 12 (+1 WIS 8 (-1) CHA 6 (-2)
Senses passive Perception 9
Languages none
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Arcane Absorption. If a ghost snake is reduced to 0 HP with a magical spell it is not destroyed, but instead disappears until its next turn, when it re-incorporates at full health and 3 temporary hit points (for a total of 6 HP) and +1 to attack and damage.
Incorporeal Movement. Ghost snakes can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. A ghost snake takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Actions
Bite. Melee Spell Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 3 (1d6 force damage) and if the target is a spellcaster the ghost snake gains temporary hit points equal to the damage done.
Posted in 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons, Creature, Fantasy by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Traveller’s Guide to the Skein Reach – Subsector 5 and Aurora Station
This subsector is in the center of the Skein Reach, a desolate scattering of stars near the galactic rim. Aurora Station is the most important trade hub here. Most of the other star systems here are small independent colonies, many of them low-technology worlds in relative isolation. There are also Imperial and Confederation settlements scattered throughout.
Regional Powers
Although Emperor Omerox claims the Skein Reach as part of his domains, officially he also claims the independent Confederation of Planets. The area is actually under neither power’s complete control. Many of the words in the region pay taxes, tithes, and fees to one or both powers, and have various treaties with their respective governments. Nevertheless neither power has enough economic interest or naval might in the sector to control trade or effectively deter piracy. Which is why some criminal gangs are so powerful in the Reach, effectively ruling systems such as Siegworld.
The Imperial Dutchy of Abiodun is neither interested in attempting to nor able to pacify the sector. A poor Imperial capitol, they don’t have a large navy, and the Duke is well known to be complicit in the piracy in the region. Rather than a proud Duke, he is the overseer of shady Imperial dealings and the host of occasional Imperial naval wargames in the Reach. Imperial Intelligence for the region is also headquartered here, and Imperial Scout reports route to the throne through here.
The Confederation of Planets has no plans to recruit worlds in the Skein Reach. They do have non-aggression and trade treaties with many of the independent worlds near their border, but the current peaceful stalemate with the Empire could be upset by recruiting worlds here into the Confederation. Additionally, Confederation Starfleet Command considers the difficult-to-traverse region a good natural buffer from the Empire. Their covert agents use the area as a “soft border” for information about and infiltration into the Empire.
There are also formal and informal polities among the various clumps of stars in the reach. Vohek and Orthmarion have extensive trade and mutual defense treaties, for example.
The Central Skein Reach Trade Confederation organizes trade route, data, and security along the trade routes in the broken ring centered at Aurora Station.
The Ragnarok Krew is the largest and most powerful criminal enterprise in the Reach. With a dozen or so small ships in their possession, raiding, piracy, smuggling, and slaving are their main occupations. The Krew is led by Jalvex “The Hammer” from the starport on Seigworld. Rival gangs include the Red Razors, the Ganymede Boys, the Sun Talons, and the Damned.
The Droid Uprising (or “The Departing”, as some of the droids call themselves) is a self-organizing group of artificially-intelligent droids. They are all intelligent robots who have been freed of the programming which makes them serve their owners. A new phenomenon, the Uprising currently controls no territory, but are building a small fleet of asteroid-hull ships using stolen parts. They have operations on Sareliox, and in the Micon and Cixan systems. Currently their main objective is freeing droids from their programming and transporting them rimward to their main refuge, called “Paradise” in Skein Reach subsector 2.
Systems
Posted in Region, Science-Fiction, Traveller and tagged Skein Reach by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
The Black Hand
Beyond the goblin wastes, in his stronghold The Tower of Zards, the foul necromancer known only as The Black Hand uses his evil magic to terrorize and enslave the people of Mystra. Bands of walking dead attack wayfarers, armies of corpses clash with forces of the living, and when The Black Hand visits a battlefield even greater horrors arise.
It is said that only heroes who have been granted the boon of the gods at the Temple of Kings will be able to pass the mystical wards and defeat the demon that guards the tower.
Medium undead, lawful evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 49 (9d8)
Speed 30 ft.
Proficiency +4
STR 11 (+0) DEX 14 (+2) CON 12 (+1) INT 18 (+4) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 11 (+0)
Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +4
Skills Arcana +7, History +7
Damage Resistances cold, lightning, necrotic
Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities charmed, exhausted, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Dwarven, Giant, Draconic, Infernal
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Spellcasting. The Black Hand is a 9th-level spellcaster. It’s spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). The Black Hand has the following spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, ray of frost, true strike, minor illusion
1st level (4 slots): shield, magic missile, thunderwave
2st level (3 slots): misty step, ray of enfeeblement, hold person, mirror image
3st level (3 slots): fireball, counter spell, vampiric touch
4th level (3 slots): fire shield, ice storm
5th level (1 slot): cone of cold
Actions
Paralyzing Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (2d6 cold damage). The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Posted in 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons, Character, Creature and tagged Prophecy of the Summer Frost, Tower of Zards by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Hyperspace Horrors, FTL Fiends, and Warp Devils
Called space demons by some, these horrifying creatures are believed to originate from outside the known universe. Scientists posit that they are a psionic phenomena, manifesting in our perceived reality through unknown processes. Experiments with psionics or jump space technology that manipulate the fundamental laws of physics have sometimes been known to manifest these types of creatures.
Varied in appearance, these creatures display anatomies and abilities with little resemblance to most life-forms of known space. Some seem to have intellects and psychic powers, while others seem to simply be ravenous beasts. Many have horrible or impossible-seeming physiology, such as the lack of an apparent skin, multiple heads, or protruding bones.
The following creatures are just a few examples of the types of creatures that sometimes come to the Travellers’ universe from outside normal space.
Imposter
First encountered during the Second Imperium when a rogue scientist used surgery and mutagens to stimulate psionic abilities in test subjects. Investigators believe some type of alien entity or psionic parasite merged with one of the test subjects and gained control of the host. The resulting hybrid creature then propagated its kind among the other test subjects. After contact was lost with the base one of the first squads of Imperial anti-psyker Inquisitor-Marines was sent to cleanse the research station. Cleansing the station resulted in significant casualties, including incurable insanity in the lead Inquisitor.
These creatures have strong psionic powers and are able to command sentient creatures and project a false appearance into other’s minds. They will endeavor to separate a group and use a false appearance to ambush lone members when their guard is down. Fairly intelligent, they will often retain many of the skills of their host. Some will eat the brains and bodies of their victims, though they will instead infect psionic creatures with the psychic parasite. Groups of them coordinate using telepathy.
Appearance – Horribly disfigured humanoid creatures with gaping maws of razor-sharp teeth.
size 6 (50 kg)
Strength 2d6 (7), Dexterity 2d6 (7), Endurance 2d6 (7), Intelligence 8, Instinct 8, Pack 2, Psionic 12
Skills – athletics 0, melee 0, recon 0, survival 0, (any other from host – often includes gun combat 0), psionics (telepathy) 3
Weapons – teeth 1d6 damage (or by weapon)
Armor – 2 (or humanoid armor as available)
Ravager
An incident on the research station at a Lagrange point of Zaftel IV resulted in the death of the entire science staff. Video footage recovered from the station shows the staff being torn to pieces by a large creature that appeared during tests of the short-distance teleportation experiment being conducted there. Although quarantine procedures were properly followed, the creature somehow managed to get on board the first rescue ship and kill several of their crewmembers before it was destroyed.
Appearance – A hulking brute with claws, teeth, chitinous plates, spikes and horns, resembling a huge demonic dog.
size 9 (450 kg)
Strength 4d6 (14), Dexterity 2d6 (7), Endurance 4d6 (14), Intelligence 4, Instinct 8, Pack 3
Skills – athletics 2, melee (claws and teeth) 2, recon 1, survival 0, psionics (teleportation) 1
Weapons – claws and teeth 2d6+2 damage
Armor 6
Impregnator
These small parasites were discovered when they overwhelmed a colony ship following a misjump. They have a hypnotic psi power, which they use to pacify a target and implant their spawn. Within a few days the host dies as the parasites consume their internal organs, all the while using their growing psychic powers to kept the victim insensitive to the pain.
Appearance – Many-legged insect-like creatures, with huge mandibles and a long egg-injecting stinger.
size 3 (6 kg)
Strength 1d6 (4), Dexterity 2d6 (7), Endurance 2, Intelligence 4, Instinct 8, Pack 5, Psionic 7
Skills – athletics 2, melee (teeth) 2, recon 1, survival 0, psionics (telepathy) 1
Weapons – teeth 1d6 damage
Armor 3
Art by Spencer Nuzum and Adam A. Thompson
Posted in Creature, Traveller by Adam A. Thompson with 2 comments.
Lost Dwarven City of Dhald’holth
I created this dungeon to use in the caverns of the classic AD&D adventure Descent into the Depths of the Earth, so credit for the inspiration goes to E.G. Gygax.
My players had fallen into an underground river and been washed down to the Sunless Sea. From there they proceeded south to one of the undefined major encounter areas. There they found Dhald’holth, long lost to the dwarves who built it, and now occupied by dark elves, who use it as a fungus and lizard plantation worked by troglodyte slaves.
I expanded upon the area that I ad-libbed at that time to submit to the 2016 One Page Dungeon Contest.
True grognards may be gratified knowing that I placed this lost city in the hex-grid spaces around P2-36 on the Large Scale Map on the inside cover of that adventure.
Licensed under the Creative Commons Share-Alike License.
Background image by Juloml – Own work, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9647226
Posted in Adventure, Fantasy, Location, rules agnostic by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.